Welcome to RainbowResource.com — Learning Tools for Homes and Schools Serving Home Educators Since 1989

Covers recognition and printing of numbers 0-100, simple addition and subtraction, skip-counting (by 10’s, 5’s, 2’s, 3’s, and 4’s), place value, measuring, calendars, time and money.

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Download a Kindergarten Teacher Guide Sample

Customer Reviews

 
Cathy H. from Oklahoma wrote the following on 03/02/2011:
My daughter is in Kindergarten and we have used Horizons K this year. We love it. It is pretty advanced for Kindergarten; she is now doing addition with two digits (for example, 87+2)and subtraction. She also has learned fractions (1/2, 1/3, 1/4), money, and time. It has kept her challenged, but at the same time has not bored her with endless drills. I have not used the teacher's manual a lot this year, but will need to as we get into more complicated math in future years just for ideas of the best way to explain new concepts to her. I highly recommend Horizons products if you have an advanced or gifted student. They are great for keeping them challenged.

 
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Anissa C. from Racine, WI wrote the following on 01/09/2007:
I have gone through countless number of math curriculums. Math did/does not come easy for my daughter. This is the ONLY math curriculum she understands and enjoys using. I highly recommend it to anyone that has a child struggling in this department. I really wished it went higher.

 
Monica B. from Lancaster County, PA wrote the following on 02/07/2007:
I know that some homeschoolers prefer mastery-based math programs over spiral learning math. However, we like the quick hits on new topics with lots of short review in subsequent lessons. My math-despising daughter actually likes Horizons because she does a variety of problem types in each lesson instead of one problem type over and over. When first starting this program, you should know that is is very difficult to start in the middle of any given course because of the spiral approach. We switched to Horizons from another program mid-year. We had covered a number of the concepts already but I chose to start at the beginning of the course because I couldn't figure out where else to begin. The concepts we needed to cover were woven in a few lessons at a time throughout the entire course so I couldn't just start in the middle and go because we would have missed all the groundwork laid in the earlier lessons. It is a lot of review -- but I figure the review can't hurt!

 
Amy G. from TN wrote the following on 04/02/2007:
Horizons 2nd grade math program was enthusiastically welcomed by my 7-year-old after using a different program since Kindergarten. At first glance, she loved the colorful pictures, connect-the-dots, crossword puzzles, and secret code puzzles in the workbooks. As she curiously thumbed through the books, she was a little nervous that it looked “too hard” for her, but I told her just to take one lesson at a time, and she has progressed very well and with a great attitude. Horizons seems to be advanced in the presentation of multiple digit addition and subtraction, Roman numerals, multiplication, and place value compared to some of the other spiral-learning 2nd grade curricula. It teaches skip-counting by 1’s through 10’s, ordinal numbers to 100, simple equations, fractions, telling time to the minute, Roman numerals, tally marks, money, calendar, graphs, ratio, area, perimeter, volume, decimals, and much more. Our family and friends have been impressed at how quickly and confidently my daughter can work multiplication facts and four-digit addition and subtraction (with regrouping) problems. One friend told me that the work my 2nd grader is doing in Horizons 2 looks like it’s on the same level as the math her 3rd grader is doing. This program is easy to use because it is very well organized--the teacher’s manual has two parts, Part One has lesson plans, manipulatives needed for each lesson, and activity suggestions, and Part Two contains reduced-size student pages with the answers, and a section of worksheets and charts for supplemental practice. Having the answer key handy was a real time saver for us, and we did use some of the worksheets, but not all of them (for the most part, the workbooks contain plenty of practice). The teacher’s manual gives simple ideas for presenting a topic. For example, when teaching multiple digit addition and subtracting with regrouping, it recommends using base ten blocks to illustrate the concept (and if the teacher does not have base ten blocks, it gives ideas for making your own place value manipulatives out of drinking straws). Although the teacher’s manual is helpful in many ways, at times it is not very thorough in explaining “how” to teach different concepts step by step. For someone who is mathematically minded, that would probably not present a problem, but I have had to use math websites online for additional ways to explain tricky concepts such as converting Roman numerals to Arabic numerals. We have also supplemented this curriculum with file folder games and CD’s with math songs for further practice in addition, subtraction, skip counting, and multiplication. Another minor thing about this curriculum that could use revision is that there are no clear instructions for making the flashcards to go with the lessons. The manual tells the teacher to make flashcards for different topics like measurement conversions and time equivalents, but it doesn't give detailed directions for making these flashcards, so the teacher just has to figure it out. This is not a big deal, but it does take up precious time! Other than making the flashcards and gathering the manipulatives for each lesson, teacher preparation time is minimal. The Horizons math workbooks are very inviting to visual learners who don’t mind a lot of color and information on one page. To me, some of the pages are a bit cluttered, but for my daughter, the “busy,” colorful pages help hold her attention and make the learning seem more fun. She likes that there are several different topics within each lesson—it is definitely not boring! For example, Lesson 140 covers sequence, equations, addition, subtraction, symmetry, solids, and multiplication all in the same lesson. For a child (or a parent) who becomes easily frustrated with switching gears quickly, this would not work well. For us, the way Horizons presents challenging math topics in incremental steps is one of its best features. It continually reviews the topics throughout the year to help the students to remember the information. Horizons math is priced very reasonably compared to other popular math curricula. We plan to continue using Horizons math all the way through 6th grade!

 
rose t. from westerville Ohio wrote the following on 05/24/2007:
I have to say that I was very pleased with this math program. This was my first year of homeschooling and I was at a loss. We just happened to stumble across Horizons Math K and instantly was hooked. My son loved the colorful pages and I was impressed with the items that they were learning. I felt that he was learning ahead of where he should have been but at the same time he was not struggling at all. We did not use the teacher book but we did add some games and other math activities to the lesson.The other great thing about this program is that it is cost effective yet not lacking in the learning at all.

 
Sarah G. from Burke, VA wrote the following on 06/17/2007:
My 8yo daughter has been using Horizons Math since Kindergarten and I LOVE this program. More colorful than Saxon and much easier to understand. My daughter did the K and 1st grade books in one year. I like the review in each lesson, as well as the new concept covered. Not too lengthy as to frustrate a child, but only a few problems per section. One of the teacher's manuals has reproducible drill pages, extra worksheets, etc. if your child needs it. The only problem that my daughter had was this: going from the second grade book to the third grade book, the print got smaller and the space given for answers also got smaller. Students are asked to do more problems/sections than in second grade and it was a bit daunting at first. Being only seven and doing the 3rd grade book, her fine motor skills of writing her numbers pretty small just wasn't there. But, with patience and practice, this skill has been achieved and she is ready to move on to the 4th grade text for next year. I would HIGHLY recommend this curriculum to any home schooling parent.

 
Jill S. from Palm Harbor wrote the following on 06/22/2007:
We started homeschooling our oldest child beginning in 3rd grade. She had been in a Montessori school from preschool through 2nd grade and was advanced in math. We started with Level 3 because everyone said Horizons was so advanced. Overall the books are fantastic. They offer a variety of problems with each lesson. The lessons regularly provide review of past material. It is bright and pleasant to look at (no color is very dull for an 8 year old). Each lesson also provides a reasonable number of problems especially for a student who gets bored easily/tired of doing the same type of problem repeatedly. With that said, my only 'negative' comment is if you have a very advanced math learner. By the end of the 1st book, my child was getting bored with doing the problems over concepts she had 'mastered'. Therefore by the 2nd book, if it was a review concept, I would select a few problems from that particular section of the lesson (for example if there were 8 subtraction problems I would have her do 3 or 4). If a concept was being reviewed more frequently through a series of lessons, sometimes I would allow her to completely skip sections of review problems.

 
Vicki W. from San antonio TX wrote the following on 10/27/2007:
I went through several different math programs with my first child, and I finally landed on Horizon. I, too, like its variety in a lesson. I have found that I can move directly into Algebra I from Horizon 6 without any intermediate work. My biggest complaint is that they do not continue into the upper maths! I really didn't want to have to switch.

 
Suelynn H. from Tennessee wrote the following on 02/03/2008:
Our family has used all but 6th grade so far for this math program and has achieved positive results. To fully achieve all the program has designed, you MUST purchase the teachers manual. Instructions/lessons are not presented in the worktext until 4th grade. In addition, you must drill math facts on a regular basis besides using worksheets....there is not enough practice in the workbooks. I also highly recommend buying the optional worksheets (or copying them from teachers manual). These provide invaluable practice. This program works well for visual and hands-on learners. Plenty of opportunities for easy manipulatives. What I like best about the program is the continual review (they call it the spiral method). Concepts are never forgotten since the student reviews them continually throughout the year. My only criticism is that the program is weak with their word problems. I use a daily problem solving book to compensate.

 
Elizabeth K. from Texas wrote the following on 04/25/2008:
We have been working through the Horizons Math K books this year. My son surprised me recently by telling me that math was his favorite part of Kindergarten! The program is rather advanced and requires quite a bit of writing. My son seemed at one point to struggle with all of the writing. My husband suggested I do some of the writing for him, so now he tells me the answers for about half of the worksheet and I write it down for him. This method works wonderfully and my son is learning quickly. The program is very good at explaining the concepts well, introducing them a little at a time, then reviewing frequently enough that my son not only remembers how to work the problem but also seems to deepen in understanding of the concept. Although the program is advanced, it is not overwhelming as far as concepts go. We plan to continue to use Horizons math as long as it is available (we're hoping they continue the program through high school)!

 
Joanna R. from WV wrote the following on 06/02/2008:
I cannot tell you how happy I have been with our Horizons math! I have a daughter starting 2nd grade in the fall who will be starting Book two of Horizons 1st grade math. My third grader will start the second book on 2nd grade Horizon math. Even so, both are ahead of their respective grades in math in the local public schools. I spend very little time preparing for our lessons. 1st grade was the longest period to teach as we used a lot of manipulatives but I felt it was time well spent and they even give you a chart to show which manipulatives will be needed for each lesson. I used to copy all the worksheets which was time consuming but now, bless them, they offer the worksheets in a loose leaf packet. They both have very different learning styles, i.e. my 3rd grader is a very quick, self-guided learner while my 2nd grader has a low threshold on concentration. Each year there are 160 lessons, with a test every ten lessons. (They expect the student to do a regular lesson on top of the test, but we don't.) I also found that sometimes when there are twenty or more problems to do of double digit addition, for example, that I highlight half for them to complete. If they miss any, they have to do one extra problem for each one missed. This has helped especially my daughter not to feel overwhelmed with a whole page of problems to do and has been very good motivation for my son. Also, I don't stress over trying to finish one lesson every day. Sometimes we supplement with lessons such as consumer math lessons or extra work on telling time since sometimes (especially for daughter) the spiral method moves on before she has mastered a new subject. We also don't do all the worksheets, but found the kids both love the timed math drills. I am very happy with this program. Highly recommended!

 
Stephanie B. from Memphis, TN wrote the following on 06/17/2008:
My son began Kindergarten with a particular math program that I purchased in a box curriculum. We both grew frustrated with the slow pace and we almost completed the entire book by Christmas. I began looking for something more challenging to finish the year with and found Horizons Math K. Since it was the middle of the school year, we began with Book 2 but had no problems transitioning from a very basic curriculum to more challenging material. My son loved Horizons (and so did I!) and really came to look forward to math. Each lesson is a mix of different types of problems (spiral method) and gives enough practice without overwhelming the student. I used the TE very little, though it is worth having as it does have more material than the student worksheets do. Because it is so easy to use, I did not have to prepare lessons ahead of time, though if you follow the TE closely, there would be some prep work needed, but mostly just having some kind of manipulatives handy. There are number lines on most pages where addition and subtraction take place and this was very helpful for my son to visually see the numbers. My second son is now doing K, and also enjoys it. I plan to use this material for the rest of my children and consider the price a great value.

 
Sandy S. from Chino, CA wrote the following on 08/17/2008:
I have used Horizon math since I began homeschooling 10 years ago. My children enjoy the colorful workbook pages. The workbook format is convenient for grading and work sample submission. Horizon 1 provides a solid foundation for further success in math. At this level the TM does provide some direction and support but for my family I usually do math with the child and correct while we do the lesson. This program is well worth the minimal cost. I have found my children have greatly benefited from the foundation set in Horizon 1.

 
Robin S. from Illinois wrote the following on 10/15/2008:
I could not be happier with the Horizons math program. Each day offers some review problems as well as introducing a new concept or building upon a concept already learned. This helps to keep my 8 year old interested in math. I have found it very easy to teach with minimal preparation. The teacher's manual can at times be a little vague in how to teach new concepts but otherwise is a helpful resource. I recommend using the placement assessments to decide which level to use as it does seem to be ahead of some curriculum for the same grade. Horizons has been a great fit for my family. My daughter who was bored to tears with the repetition of our previous program once again enjoys math!

 
Martha S. from Iowa wrote the following on 11/17/2008:
We love Horizons Math K! My son is 5 years old, and finds the material engaging, quick to learn, and challenging without being overwhelming. We don't find this program too advanced for Kindergarten at all. Even the amount of handwriting is (for us) the perfect amount. This program covers all sorts of topics, including calendar work, days of the week, colors, etc.; that you may not expect to find in a typical math program. The teacher's manual, although not scripted, IS helpful. It provides extra worksheets as well as instructions for each daily lesson. The TM will also mention that you should review a certain skill that is not included in the daily workbook page, such as oral counting to 100, the days of the week, ordinal numbers, or the jingle "Thirty days hath September", etc. The student workbooks are colorful without being distracting. I feel they provide just enough daily practice for each skill covered. My son is already beginning to insist on doing certain exercises on his own, because he is proud of showing off his mastery of the concept. His excitement for math has carried over into his daily life, where he reinforces his skills. While playing with Legos, he'll cheerfully call out, "Hey Mom! Guess what? 4+1 is 5, but so is 3+2, and 5+O and 1+4 and..." etc. Almost all the manipulatives we've needed so far were easy to find at home, such as a pennies and dominoes. However, I do suggest purchasing a Judy clock from Rainbow Resource. My son has learned so much just by playing with the clock and asking me questions about time! I think this program is appropriate for many different learning styles, and is an excellent value. We will continue with Horizons!

 
Jennifer C. from Dayton, OH wrote the following on 12/23/2008:
I love Horizons Math! We are using level K for my kindergartner, and my 1st grader is using level 1. I love the review, and my older daughter really does well with it. It is broken down into small sections which makes her feel more successful and not overwhelmed by large numbers of problems. My younger daughter, with a smaller attention span, also does well with the small sections as it allows her to not linger on any one topic for too long. We plan to continue on with Horizons next year as well. I believe it is an excellent value for the quality of instruction received.

 
Christine D. from Guam wrote the following on 03/31/2010:
I have been very pleased with Horizons Math. The lessons are presented in a great format that doesn't require much time for each lesson. My third grader is completing the fourth grade workbook 2 and is progressing amazingly well. My 12 year old daughter used Horizons Math from kindergarten to sixth grade. She is now taking Algebra with a different math curriculum. I attribute her success in math to her years taking Horizons Math. It prepared her for the higher math.